How do you make sure that your investment in copy pays dividends in the coming years, without further time and money spent? The answer lays in how you approach the content and whether or not it’s flexible enough to do gymnastics for you. Ask yourself is it malleable, flexible and reusable? Here are some ways to construct your copy, so that it will outlive you like a Galapagos turtle.

1. Write Evergreen Pieces

Instead of writing news items that have short term value, write about content that will always be in bloom, and always relevant. That’s what I mean by evergreen. Try instructional and informative pieces as these rarely go out of style. Or try top ten or countdown articles about brand-relevant topics that are close to your audience’s heart. By doing so, you will maximise SEO impact. As more people will return again and again to view the content. It also means that the possibilities for republishing elsewhere increase tenfold. For example, you could pitch this piece (or a slightly altered version) to an online magazine.

2. Mobilise Social Media Savvy Employees

Other people in your office may be busy with their own roles. However dangle an irresistible carrot in front of them. Paid time during business hours on social media. Then give them the tools to generate content from existing material, and the ability to post this content themselves to their own followers and fans.

3. Syndicate Your Content

When your content is published in newspapers, magazines or other people’s websites, ask the editor or content manager about exclusivity and copyright. Are you able to reuse your content elsewhere? Doing so gives the content exposure to a much wider audience. Generally if you have given the article to a third party, they will be gracious enough to allow you to republish it wherever you want. However always ask beforehand to avoid a tense situation. After all, you want to maintain these mutually beneficial relationships.

4. Reuse and Recycle

All sizes and types of content can have another nine lives on different platforms.

Use parts of magazine articles as snippets on social media

Use customer reviews as a part of a case study or as a slide on your home page for maximum impact

Blog posts can have second lives in your newsletters or a even as magazine articles

A snappy sales page could be reused as the script for a video ad

5. Get Listy

Lists are like content catnip to online readers. They are scannable and irresistible, as they allow human minds to take in complicated, lengthy information in a much easier form. In terms of word recycling, lists are profoundly reusable. The bullet points of lists can be transformed into tweets, posts on Facebook and other little pocket rockets. Lists can be used alongside video or images, or (if they are written well enough) left to shine on their own.

6. Ideation Nation

The final and most important step for sweating your content marketing assets is ideation. This is where a Brains Trust (you, me and someone else who you think is pretty smart) get together for a massive latte and lemon tart session. Sparks might fly, somebody may even bring out a light saber. As we take a magic carpet ride and conjure up content wizardry to take your business into the next dimension.

Phew – raw rood vegan has been really tough for me. I don’t have an issue with a fruit smoothie for breakfast, but at lunch I find it so hard to just eat fruit. When I do, I don’t eat enough of it, so I’m starving by the time dinner comes around. I need to figure out a better system!